Support material for unit (homework, class discussion)

Organization of subtopics within this unit - new concepts in red, refs to other topics in blue and planned labs in yellow.

1. Overview - basic science vs. applied science (engineering). Keep this in mind and use the learning of the technological application as an opportunity to review the basic biological concepts that the engineering is based upon.2. Making DNA - Polymerase Chain Reaction (lab). Parallels between general DNA polymerase in DNA replication (topics 3.4/7.2) and Taq Polymerase used in PCR. What new possibilities exist with the practical application and what features of the components used in the technique allow these advances?3. Characterizing/Profiling DNA - Restriction Fragment Polymorphisms visualized on Gel Electrophoresis (lab). Where do restriction endonucleases come from? What purpose do they serve in the original, native organism (preview of 5.1)? How is enzyme specificity (3.6/7.6) illustrated in this technology? How about characteristic structure - especially charge - of nucleic acids (3.3/7.1)?4. Databases and their use - Human Genome Project. Shared gene sequence within a species compared with diversity of DNA within a species (preview of topic/option D - Evolution). How can each be valuable?5. Transfer of genes between varied organisms (interspecies) - Transformation protocol (and lab). How does this protocol rely on basic concepts of cell biology such as nucleic acid packaging in eukaryotes (histone-containing chromosomes) vs. prokaryotes (naked DNA and plasmids) (2.2/2.3), membrane structure (2.4), molecular bonding (3.1), enzymes such as RE's and ligase (3.6/7.6), environmental selection pressure via antibiotic resistance genes on plasmids. Q: Where do antibiotics come from in nature? A: fungi. Q: Then why would bacteria benefit from being able to resist antibiotics?? (preview of 5.4/D and 5.1). Examples of transformed organisms (GMO's) and discussion surrounding these. Some of the engineering strategies bring us back to the concept of metabolic pathways - see the video below about the GMO, golden rice.6. How are therapeutic and reproductive cloning protocols based on the natural processes of cell division/mitosis and basic concepts of control of gene expression/specialization (2.1,2.5)? (The same video on GMO's below discussed the intersection between cloning and GMO's.

How to organize this unit's information for review:

Remember that we are looking at applications of basic concepts here, and focus on the details of each procedure we studied, noticing the connections to the original basic concepts that we studied previously (but might be ripe for review around this time!) Try creating a table to organize the details of these procedures. If you have another favorite hierarchy organizational tool that works for you, feel free to use it instead, but do go beyond a basic vocab list for reviewing (too simple).

TECHNIQUE

1. DNA PROFILINGincl. PCR & Electrophoresis

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2. GENE TRANSFERincl. Recombinant DNA & Use of Vectors

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3. HUMAN GENOME PROJECT

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4. CLONINGincl. both Therapeutic & Reproductive

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SUBSTANCE

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STEPS

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GOAL(S)

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PROBLEM(S)

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1. DNA PROFILING, incl. PCR & Electrophoresis

REALLY - WHO DOESN'T LOVE A BUNCH OF SCIENTISTS HAVING (MAKING?) FUN (FOOLS?) OF THEMSELVES?

A GOOD EXPLANATION AND EXAMPLE OF PCR IN THIS VIDEO - CLICK TO THE LINK

2. GENE TRANSFER, incl. Recombinant DNA & Use of Vectors

A VERY COMPLETE PREZI ON GENE TRANSFER BETWEEN ORGANISMS - GREAT FOR REVIEW OF THAT PARTICULAR PROCEDURE.

A GOOD HISTORY AND DISCUSSION OF GMO'S, AS WELL AS CLEAR EXPLANATION OF METHODOLOGY FOR GENE TRANSFER IN BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS. PAY ATTENTION FOR A VERY PRACTICAL EXAMPLE (OPPORTUNITY FOR REVIEW!) OF A METABOLIC PATHWAY IN THE GOLDEN RICE STORY.